Wrapper carton for group packaging of different sized articles



May 30, 1961 H. w. FORRER 2,986,271

WRAPPER CARTON FOR GROUP PACKAGING OF DIFFERENT SIZED ARTICLES Filed April. 23, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l zzo k l I 21 8 222 222 I 218 202 216 j 21:

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BY HGMEI? m roe/Pen wir w ATTORNEKS L W zza 3 May 30, 1961 w FQRRER 2,986,271

WRAPPER CARTON FOR GROUP PACKAGING OF DIFFERENT SIZED ARTICLES Filed April 25, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v I mm w 5 HOW-A56 m Fork/s0 I 4 I719: BY

United States Patent WRAPPER CARTON FOR GROUP PACKAGING OF DIFFERENT SIZED ARTICLES Homer W. Forrer, Atlanta, Ga., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Mead Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Apr. 23, 1958, Ser. No. 730,334

2 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) This invention relates to paperboard wrapper cartons of the type adapted to be folded and secured about a group of articles or objects, such as cans, to form an open-ended merchandising package or the like, and more particularly to a wrapper carton for forming a package of this sort advantageously in instances where the package group incorporates articles of different sizes.

For this purpose, the wrapper carton of the present invention is arranged for folding and securing laterally about a row of articles grouped for packaging with positioning apertures located intermediately in the Wrapper at the sides of the package for engaging and positioning articles in the packaged row that are of less height than the others therein; and, optionally, with specially formed positioning apertures for accommodating any articles of larger diameter in the packaged row. The wrapper carton provided in this manner is also readily adapted according to the present invention for bracing the carton structure when necessary in relation to any article of lesser height packaged therein.

These and other features of the present invention are described in further detail below in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a wrapper enclosed package containing a row of different sized articles in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken substantially at the line 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken substantially at the line 3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the blank employed in forming the wrapper carton for the package illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3; and

Fig. 5 is a further corresponding plan view showing the Fig. 4 blank in the form in which it is arranged for packaging use.

The embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 comprises a package containing a large necked can K and a smaller flat top can K", of comparable diameter but lesser height, arranged side by side with a paperboard wrapper W folded and secured laterally thereabout. The Wrapper W" is formed with a top panel portion 200 in which an aperture 202 is formed for extension therethrough of the neck portion of the large can K, and at each side of which foldably connected side panel portions 204 and 206 are arranged on opposite sides of the cans K and K" in substantially paired relation, with foldably connected lap panel portions 208 and 210 overlapped and secured laterally across the bottom ends of the cans K and K".

Positioning slots 212 are provided at the foldably connected edges of the side panel portions 204 and 206 for engaging the top and bottom chined ends of the large can K, and similar positioning slots 214 are provided for engaging the bottom end of the smaller can K", while the side panel portions 204 and 206 are formed intermediately with positioning slots 216 in which tongue portions 218 are arranged for endwise positioning engagement at the top of the smaller can K interiorly of the chine thereat. In addition, however, as the smaller can K" is arranged at the end of the package, and as it incorporates no neck portion to provide support for the top panel portion 200 against crushing thereat, the wrapper W is formed to incorporate bracing means to support the top panel portion 200 above the smaller can K.

The retaining tab 228 is formed in the lap panel portion 208 and the locking tab 230 is formed in the lap panel portion 210 so that the tabs will be aligned when the blank is wrapped about the articles with the lap panel portion 210 being outwardly of the lap panel portion 208. The retaining and locking tabs 228 and 230 remain hinged to the lap panel portions 208 and 210 in alignment with the spaces resulting in the package between cans K and I and the wrapper W" is secured by insertion of the locking tab 230 inwardly through the opening in the lap panel portion 208 at the retaining tab 228 therein, with the locking tab 230 extending substantially uprightly within the wrapper W" and braced in this upright disposition by the retaining tab 228. This locking and reraining tab construction is of the type disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,786,572. Alternatively, the outer lap panel portion 210 might be secured in overlapping relation to the inner lap panel portion 208 with adhesive, or by stapling, or in any other suitable manner desired.

The gripping apertures 232, 234 and 234 are arranged to provide for gripping the wrapper W and drawing it tightly about the row of cans K and K" for securing thereon in the course of a packaging operation, as disclosed in detail in U.S. Patent No. 2,809,486.

This bracing means comprises a panel portion 220 disposed in face to face relation at the inner face of the top panel portion 200, with flap portions 222 foldably hinged thereon in parallel relation to the foldably connected edges of the top panel portion 200 but spaced inwardly thereof. These flap portions 222 are formed with tongues 224 corresponding generally with the tongue portions 218 at the positioning slots 216 and arranged for disposition in backing relation thereto, and are further formed with ear portions 226 extending to either side of the adjacent larger can K for maintaining the flap portions 222 disposed at an outwardly inclined downwardly extending bracing position at the adjacent end of the smaller can K" so as to support the top wall panel 200 effectively thereat.

Figs. 4 and 5 show the blank for the wrapper W" employed in forming the package illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, this blank being arranged with transverse scores defining the respective panel portions thereof in a foldably hinged series extending in opposite directions from the top panel portion 200, which has an intermediate disposition in the blank; the side panel portions 204 and 206 being respectively arranged at opposite sides of the top panel portion 200, and the lap panel portions 208- and 210 being arranged in terminal relation on the respective side panel portions 204 and 206. Also the lap panel portions 208 and 210 are preferably formed with respectively aligned retaining and locking tabs 228 and 230, and with gripping apertures 232, 234 and 234'.

The blank may further incorporate side edge portions 236 scored for folding and securing in doubled relation, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, to reinforce the blank edges at the open ends of the wrapper W", and the blank has the previously described bracing means formed on one of these side edge portions 236; the bracing means panel portion 220, with the flap portions folda'bly hinged thereon, being arranged as a lateral extension of the adjacent side edge portion 236 in alignment with the top panel portion 200, as seen in Fig. 4, and being doubled with the side edge portion 236 on which it is formed to a disposition at the inner face of the top panel portion 200 in preparing the blank for packaging use, as seen in Fig. 5. The blank also preferably incorporates suitable access apertures 238 through which the bracing means flap portion 222 may be reached for manipulation into proper position dun'ng the packaging operation.

The present invention has been described above for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to be limited by this description or otherwise except as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A package comprising a row of cans or the like enclosed by an open-ended wrapper folded and secured thereabout, said row having at least one can of greater height and an adjacent end can of lesser height, the cans in said row having chines formed at the ends thereof, and said wrapper comprising an elongated paperboard blank scored transversely to define a series of foldably connected portions, an intermediate portion in said series being disposed laterally across said row of cans at one end thereof, adjacent portions at opposite edges of said intermediate portion being disposed at opposite sides of said row of cans, and terminal lap portions at each of said adjacent portions being overlapped and secured laterally across the other end of said row of objects, positioning slots located along the scores at which said blank portions are foldably connected, said positioning slots engaging exteriorly the chines at both ends of the cans of greater height and the chine at the end of said can of lesser height in said row at the connection of the lap portions and adjacent portions, further positioning slots located intermediately in said adjacent portions of said blank engaging exteriorly the chine at the other end of said can of laser height for positioning said can of lesser height in spaced relation with respect to said intermediate portion, said further positioning slots having tongue portions extending therein and also engaging interiorly the can chine positioned thereat, and said intermediate blank portion being fitted at the inner face thereof with a bracing member, said bracing member having a portion disposed in face-to-face relation at the inner face of said intermediate blank portion and having flap portions foldably hinged thereon along scores parallel to the scores defining said intermediate blank portion but inwardly spaced therefrom, and said flap portions extending downwardly and outwardly from the hinging thereof on said first mentioned bracing member portion and being formed with tongues corresponding generally with the tongue portions in said further positioning slots and arranged for disposition in backing relation thereto and with car portions extending to either side of the adjacent can of greater height for maintaining said flap portions disposed in said backing relation at the adjacent end of said can of lesser height.

2. A paperboard blank adapted to form an open-ended wrapper for packaging a row of cans having chines formed at the ends thereof and incorporating at an end of said row a can of lesser height than the remaining cans in said row, said blank having an elongated form and being scored transversely to define a series of foldably connected portions comprising an intermediate panel portion in said series, adjacent panel portions serially arranged at opposite sides of said intermediate panel portion in substantially paired relation, and terminal lap portions foldably connected in said series at each of said adjacent portions, said blank portions being proportioned for folding and securing laterally about said row of cans in relation to the cans of greater height in said row, positioning slots located along the scores at which said blank portions are foldably connected to engage exteriorly the chines at both ends of the cans of greater height and the chine at the end of said can of lesser height at the connection of the terminal lap portions and adjacent portions, further positioning slots located intermediately in said adjacent portions of said blank to engage exteriorly the chine at the other end of said can of lesser height for positioning of said can of lesser height in spaced relation with respect to said intermediate blank portion, said further positioning slots having tongue portions extending therein for interior chine engagement and said intermediate blank portion having a bracing portion foldably connected at the adjacent end thereof for doubling inwardly in face-to-face relation therewith, said bracing portion being formed with flap portions foldably hinged thereon along scores parallel to the scores defining said intermediate blank portion but inwardly spaced therefrom, and said flap portions being proportioned for extending downwardly and outwardly from the hinging thereof on said first mentioned bracing portion and formed with tongues corresponding generally with the tongue portions in said further positioning slots and arranged for disposition in backing relation thereto and with ear portions extending in relation to the positioning slots for the adjacent can in said row so as to be disposed at either side of said adjacent can for maintaining said flap portions disposed in said backing relation upon folding and securing of said blank about said row of cans.

- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,663,413 Foster Dec. 22, 1953 2,687,248 Freeman Aug. 24, 1954 2,765,073 Murray Oct. 2, 1956 2,805,033 Rous Sept. 3, 1957 2,828,008 Fryburger Mar. 25, 1958 

